Aila-affected Sharankhola, Koira badly hit again

Tidal surge damages houses outside the embankment of the Baleshwar River in Sharankhola upazila of Bagerhat, middle, affected people with their belongings leave for safer places, right, damaged portion of the embankment at Rajoir in the upazila. Photo: STAR

Tidal surge caused by depression over the Bay has swept away over 1,000 thatched and mud houses, damaged embankments and crops and disrupted communications in Khulna and Bagerhat districts.
The affected people, who have taken refuge at shelter centres, have been facing severe crisis of food and drinking water since Friday. The shelter centres are not sufficient enough to accommodate a large number of people.
Five to six feet high tidal surge hit several villages of the two districts, damaging food protection embankments at different points.
According to Koira Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Abul Bashar, cracks have developed in most of WDB embankments. At least 20 villages in seven unions of the upazila have been flooded, marooning over 2,000 people, he added.
Three to four feet high tidal waves of Kalabogi River hit Dakop upazila, also in Khulna district, on Friday, damaging over 200 houses, uprooting electric poles and a large number of trees in nine unions, said UNO Md Daulatuzzaman.
The Aila-hit people, who have been staying in makeshift camps on embankments since May 2009, are now the worst victims of inclement weather, said Upazila Chairman Sheikh Abul Hossain.
In Sharankhola upazila of Bagerhat district, over 700 thatched and mud houses were washed away by six to seven feet high tidal surge of the furious Baleshwar River.
UNO Khandaker Zahirul Islam said six unions under the upazila have been inundated as the 15-kilometre-long embankment of the Baleshwar developed cracks at eight to 10 points due to high tide. Thirty under-construction houses with financial assistance of the Indian government in Sharankhola upazila have also been damaged, the UNO added.
Tidal surge accompanied by torrential rain and gusty wind have damaged standing crops on about 2,000 acres of land in Southkhali, Rayenda and Khontakata unions of the upazila.
Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Supati forest station in the Sundarbans, said two fish¬ing trawlers capsized in the sea on Thursday. But I did not get any further information about fate of the fishermen on board, he said.
Loading and unloading of goods at the outer anchorage of Mongla port have remained suspended since Thursday night.
Torrential rains also disrupted normal life in Khulna city and most of the low-lying areas went under knee-deep water on Friday.
Our Barisal correspondent adds: Torrential rain has disrupted normal life in the city and forced most of the people to stay inside their houses.
Roads and the low-lying areas have been inundated, causing disruption to vehicular movement and sufferings to city dwellers.
River port authorities imposed restrictions on plying ML type motor launches less than 65 feet length due to inclement weather, said Kazi Wakil Newaz, deputy director of BIWTA, Barisal.
All fishing boats and trawlers on the north Bay and have been advised to stay on the shore until further order, the BIWTA office said.